‘I questioned and belittled myself': Mandira Bedi opens up about battling sexism and self-doubt as a cricket presenter; why it is common

Indian Express

21-05-2025

In 2003, when Mandira Bedi made her debut as a cricket presenter during the World Cup, she did not anticipate facing the challenges that she did during her journey. Known for her work as an actor, she entered a field where women were largely absent and often unwelcome.
In a recent interview with Yuvaa, Mandira shared, 'I felt dismissed and disrespected. I felt powerless and like, 'I don't know what am I doing here'. I questioned myself and belittled myself saying, 'It must be me'.'
Over time, she learned how to hold her ground. As her questions were routinely ignored by senior panelists, she decided she would no longer be sidelined. 'If someone disrespects me, I will repeat that question till they give me an answer, and everything changed,' she said. But despite her growth and resilience, Mandira admitted the underlying culture has not fully shifted even two decades later. 'When you say it was a boys' club, it still is a boys' club,' she said, recalling a recent tournament she worked on.
Her experience reflects a reality many professionals, particularly women in male-dominated industries, still encounter.
Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, 'This response — of self-doubt — is unfortunately all too common among women navigating workplace exclusion. Societal conditioning often teaches women to second-guess themselves, internalise criticism, and constantly strive to 'prove' their worth, even when their work speaks volumes.'
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What's important is recognising that this self-doubt isn't a personal flaw, notes Khangarot, it's a learned response to years of subtle (and not-so-subtle) invalidation. 'I remember being invited to deliver a keynote session to 500 school children aged 12-14. I was dressed in a long, colourful skirt and a formal top — nothing out of the ordinary for me, but in contrast to the sea of uniforms, I stood out. As I walked to the front, I felt those familiar voices creep in: 'Are they judging me? Am I too much?' But I chose not to listen. I delivered my session, and it was a huge success,' Khangarot recalls.
She then states, 'That moment reminded me: we all have voices in our heads. Some cheer us on, others whisper doubt. But we get to choose which ones to listen to. The journey from self-doubt to self-assertion begins with that choice: to trust your voice, your presence, your work. And to stand in it fully, regardless of who's watching.'
Khangarot mentions that people often take us as seriously as we take ourselves — that's my admittedly biased, but deeply held belief. The way we treat ourselves teaches others how to treat us. If we respect our time, voice, contribution, and emotional space, others learn to do the same.
'Boundaries — those invisible lines we draw around ourselves — are essential not just in friendships or family but at work too. They are a form of self-respect. When we move away from porous boundaries that let everything in, and instead begin to articulate our limits, we create space for clarity, respect, and mutual accountability. We signal that we are not to be overlooked, talked over, or dismissed,' she explains.